Apparatus for applying reducing agents to printing fountains



y 31, 1932- P. SCHERRER 3,861,142 M APPARATUS FOR APPLYING REDUCING AGENTS TO PRINTING FOUNTAINS Filed April 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

May 31, 1932. P. SCHERRER 1,361,142

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING REDUCING AGENTS TO PRINTING FOUNTAINS Filed April 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E A MM A TORNEY Patented May 31', 1932 PATENT OFFICE PETER SGHERRER, OF BBOOKLYN', NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR APPLYING REDUCING AGENTS 1'0 PRINTING FOUNTAINS Application filed April 14, 1931- serial No. 529,910.

T hev object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically maintaining ink within the fountains of printing presses in proper fluid condition, and further, to provide means for automatically cutting off of a reducer medium employed for such purpose, when the press is thrown out of action by raising the pressure roller which serves to maintain contact'between the pa perv web and the printing roller.

Further objects of the invention, will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in 16 which Fig. 1 is a schematic View showing, by end elevation, a cylinder roller, an ink fountain, paper web and certain rollers, and the steam drum, employed in a cylinder press.

Fig; 2 1s. a perspective and fragmentary view, part1 in section, showing the fountain end ofa cy 'nder press equipped with the invention.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the elements shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 2, I have indicated certain elements of the ink fountain end of the cylinder press.

Removably mounted on the supporting frame 1 is a cylinder or roller 2 the roller rotating within an ink fountain 3.. Coacting with the roller is pressure roller 4, the latter roller being mounted for vertical movement relatively to cylinder 2. For this purpose,

I have shown 'roller 4 journaled .in spaced blocks '5 carried by the opposed screws 6 the screws carrying at their upper ends spaced worm wheels 7 in mesh with worms on a shaft 8 adapted to be rotated by wheel 9.

Intermediate cylinder 2 and pressure roller 4 is shown paper web 10 which receives the impression.

matic Fig. 1, it will be seen that the paper web, in a customary type of cylinder press, in which the roller or cylinder rotates within an ink fountain, is fed from aweb 11 over certain guide rollers including roller 12 from which the web passes between pressure roller By reference to the sche 4 and printing cylinder 2 thence being led over a roller 13 to the steam drum 14.

. By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the cylinder 2 is so related to the fountain that approximately half the circumference of the roller lies Withinthe fountain 3 so as to receive ink therefrom. As the cylinder rotates, it is subjected to the action of the wiper 15.

The cylinder rotates at a high speed and ink wiped therefrom by wiper 15 is thrown to the left and against the inner wall of a backing blade 16 from which it passes downwardly to the interior of the fountain. As the press continues its feed and impression .5 upon the paper web, the ink thickens and it is customary to periodically add to the ink within the fountain a thinning or reducer liquid. By means of the present invention, this is done automatically and the action of 7 the cylinder upon the ink within the fountain is employed to mechanically mix the reducer and the ink, so that the proper consistency may be maintained automatically.

I have-indicated at 17 a tank for contain 2 ing the reducer liquid. I The tank will be placed at a level higher than the fountain so that the reducer may be flowed by gravity. To the bottom wall of the tank is applied a feed pipe 18 controlled by a Valve 19 and a 30 gauge 20 maybe fitted to the pipe so that the flow of liquid mayevisually be observed. Feed pipe 18 or a second pipe communicating therewith, passes through an aperture in the wall of the fountain provided with a disg charge outlet 18:22 so that the reducer may be flowed into the fountain. Intermediate discharge end 18 of the pipe and cylinder 2, is placed a bafile 21 the baffle extending longitudinally of the fountain and preferably havo ing one end lying toward the top of the fountain adjacent backing blade 16 and intermediate the blade "and the cylinder. The baflle preferably extends across the longitudinal center of the fountain as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the level of the ink is indicated at 22.

Baflie plate 21 may be supported by suitable bracket members 23 carried by thefountain.

' 26 for operatin a valve 27 in the feed pipe line 18. When andle 9 is rotated to elevate the pressure roller, and the press is thrown out of action, arm 24 will impart an operative movement to valve arm 26 through 0 will spring 25 to shut off the flow of the reducer. In the operation of the device the rotation of the cylinder in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, will tend to continuousl cause a flow of the ink upwardly toward t e wiper. In

'coming in contact-with the wiper, and also due to the action of the latter, upon the cylinder, ink will be caused to flow downwardly in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Bein diverted by the backing blade theink is: carried over the edge of the bailie plate and thence downwardly intermediate the plate and the opposed wall of the foun tain. The relation of the lower portion of the bafle and the cylinder is such that-a suction upon the ink within the fountain occurs, and a steady flow of ink intermediate the cylinder and the baflle and thence upwardly to the wiper and thence downwardly in the direction of the arrow, will be effected. The infl'owing reducer liquid will thus meet a downward flow of ink from the backing blade and thecurrent of the ink will be substantially reversed in direction so that thorough mixing of reducer and ink is efiected. It will also be noted that the reducer is directed toward the wall of the fountain and downwardly and thus to points where thickening of the ink first occurs in ordinary practice.

B the invention, the ink may be kept in uni orm condition b the mixing of the reducer with the ink rom the bottom of the fountain, and the valve controllin ipe 18 may be regulated in accordance with t e consumption and evaporation of the ink so as to keep the ink properly reduced at all times,

whatever the speed of the press may be. Havin described my invention, what I claim an desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows 1. In printing presses and in combination with a printing cylinder, of an ink fountain, within which the cylinder projects, a wiper, a reducer tank, a conduit communicatin 5 with the reducer tank and the fountain,-an

means whereb the flow of reducer to the fountain may controlled.

2. In printing presses and in combination with a printing cylinder, of an ink fountain, within which the cylinder projects, a wiper, a reducer tank, a conduit communicating with the reducer tank and the fountain, and a curved baflle wall intermediate the cylinm der and the bottom of the fountain.

3. In printing presses and in combination 1,ee1,14a

with a printing cylinder, of an ink fountain, within which the cylinder projects, a wiper, a reducer tank, a conduit communicatin with the reducer tank and the fountain an means for automatically shuttin off the flow of reducer through the con uit when the press is thrown out of operation.

4. In printing presses and in combination with a printing cylinder, of an ink fountain, within which'the cylinder projects, a wiper, a reducer tank, a conduit communicating with the reducer tank and the fountain, a

' pressure roller co-acting .with the cylinder, 

